JACKSONVILLE -- March 9, 2001 --
Spring is in the air. And that means students at Jacksonville State
University are gearing up for Spring Break 2001. Where are some of them
going?

Heath Braun and friend Amber Reamy, both freshmen at JSU, are from
Maryland. They’re just looking forward to going home and hanging out
with friends.

Octavia Stribling, also a freshman, is planning a cruise to Key West,
Florida and Cancun, Mexico. She has been paying on this trip in
installments since September.

Jesyka Pickens of Mobile, AL will spend her break with family in
Georgia. While there she will wage the water at White Water and dare
the heights at Six Flags.

Ann Casey and her pal Mary Wissinger can’t wait to sun themselves at
Mary’s beach house in Gulf Shores. But the whole vacation wouldn’t be
complete without the company of their other four friends.

Your destination may not be the beach or home or Six Flags, but there
are some things about student travel that every “Spring Breaker” should
be aware of.

There are deals on plane tickets every where you look, but the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) has released information about those deals. Most
of them are charter flights, and there are different rules governing
charters. So read the fine print of the conditions and flight
schedules.

You should also understand your rights. According to the Department of
Transportation, if the charter makes a “major change” in your flight
plans, you have the right to cancel the package without penalty.

Beware of "dot com" ticket auctions. If it sounds too good to be true, it
probably is. Some bids start as low as $3.00. This should be a clue
that it’s fake.

When making these purchases, the FTC recommends using a credit card.
This gives you more protection than cash or a check.

Once you’ve completed all these tedious planning tasks, you can finally
go party. And one Panama City resort had the following advice:

Police: Try NOT to get their attention. However, if you must come in
contact with them, treat them gently and they will do the same for you.
After all, over a half million people are pouring into the area and
adding a lot of pressure to them.

Remember your ID. Of course, without it, you won’t be admitted to some businesses.
Whining won’t help.

DON’T try a fake ID. The LEAST that will happen: It will be
confiscated. WORST: They’ll call the cops.

Check out the rules of the hotel you’re staying in. Most require a
security deposit, but you can find out how to get it back at check-in.

Also pay attention to hotel personnel. Lodging managers, such as
security guards, can evict you in a heartbeat. In this instance, they
keep your money and you have to spend the rest of Spring Break in your
car.

Bring a jacket and a couple of sweat shirts. At night in Florida,
breezes blow in off the gulf and it can get kind of chilly.

Be wary of street sales scams. A favorite of last year was tickets to
a non-existent “party cruise.” The cruise was legitimate, but tickets
sold on the street weren’t.

There are many freebies and discount tickets available to local
attractions.

DO NOT drink and drive. Get a designated driver, or grab a taxi.
(You WILL get busted for this one. To avoid it, you can rent a limo
anywhere on the beach for up to six people, $10.00 flat rate.)

So now that “spring is the mischief in us,” as Robert Frost said, let’s
party safely.